1
as in delays
to move or act slowly
don't dillydally on the way to the store
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hangs (around or out)
to spend time doing nothing
restaurant employees who, during the slow periods, would rather be doing something instead of just dillydallying
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dillydallies
Verb
-
Frey vetoed the ordinance, arguing that an eviction pause does not actually provide relief and only delays an inevitable problem.—
Aki Nace,
CBS News,
21 Apr. 2026 -
The plan also maintains full scope Medi-Cal for asylees and other immigrant groups who were cut out of Medicaid by the federal government and delays Medi-Cal premiums for undocumented immigrants that would otherwise begin on July 1, 2027 to July 1, 2028.—
Kate Wolffe,
Sacbee.com,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The threat of death always lingers – just ask my wooden stairs.—
David Oliver,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The Panama Canal is experiencing an uptick in traffic and generating more lucrative bids to transit the trade artery, aligning with a spike in demand for its reservation system as the Iran war lingers and uncertainty persists regarding the safety of the Strait of Hormuz.—
Glenn Taylor,
Footwear News,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The trio pulled up on e-bikes, drove up to the entrance of the Information Center and began shouting and taking pictures, pausing to take drags off a vape while peering through the shuttered doors.—
James Queally,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Work fewer than 35 years and the SSA plugs zeros into the missing slots, which drags your benefit down.—
Allison Palmer,
Charlotte Observer,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
That’s because if a patient can’t pay or an insurer kicks back a claim, a small practice in a rural area can be on the hook for tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars.—
Caleb Hellerman,
CNN Money,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Kutsenko, 31, steps outside into the freezing night, switches on a large rectangular generator and the power kicks back in.—
Kamila Hrabchuk,
Fortune,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Think about how often your toddler crawls near the dog bed or your kids toss pet toys around the living room.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 Apr. 2026
-
In the book, Grace drags Rocky back to his part of the ship, exposing himself to the Eridian environment; in the film, Rocky crawls back while Grace is unconscious.—
Matthew Razak,
Space.com,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Kym is the family fuckup and a guilty party to its biggest tragedy but also constantly pokes the bear as its selfish verbal assassin.—
Chris Feil,
Vulture,
1 May 2026
-
Instead, the robot simply pokes through it.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Though the sisters are supposedly first-generation Italian American, no whiff of the old country hangs about Kay; Dorothy will at least spit out a few words in Italian.—
Television Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Turquoise pearl, and azure line the space, and a cylindrical hanging light sculpture made of hundreds of white and gold ceramic fish hangs about the lounge seating area.—
Kristin Braswell,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Somebody who is just living greatness and never rests on that laurel, but is always pushing herself to expand as an artist.—
Lexi Lane,
PEOPLE,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The whole security architecture rests on those layers.—
Shane Harris,
The Atlantic,
27 Apr. 2026
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Cite this Entry
“Dillydallies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dillydallies. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
